Black Velvet
by BecauseSheCan
Summary: Indecision is good, he thinks, indecision means she is fighting with herself. Indecision means that she could be his. He could possess her; he could claim the greatest prize in their world. Indecision means she is halfway there. AU MarcusxNessie TWOSHOT
1. Chapter 1

**I Love/Hate Nessie VD Contest**

**Pen Name: **BecauseShe Can

**Story Title: **Black Velvet

**Rating: **M

**Disclaimer: **Character death/ lemon

**Summary: **Indecision is good, he thinks, indecision means she is fighting with herself. Indecision means that she could be his. He could possess her; he could claim the greatest prize in their world. Indecision means she is halfway there.

**Stance:** Hate.

* * *

Relationships are capricious things. Over the course of centuries even the strongest bonds weaken. Forever is just a word; no matter how strongly the lovers believe what they say. It is in the nature of love to grow, to change, and to form new bonds. Change comes slowly, especially for their kind, but it does come. Centuries may pass before the ties that once bound them together diminish. Marcus has lived long enough to watch the slow disentanglement of affections, and this family before him is no different.

The year is 2307, the world is still alive, still thriving, humans laugh and live, they still come to visit the city; to visit the homes of the ancient. A thousand years has passed since the Volturi took their place as the royalty of the vampire world. The day is February 14th, the sun has long since left the sky, and the spacious Volturi castle is crowded with the undead. Every vampire who wishes to keep in the good graces of the brothers has come, some out of curiosity, many out of fear, and a few out of obligation.

Marcus sits on his throne. No one expects him to move, and he is happy not to. He enjoys observing, and this particular coven, or family he should say. Their respective personal relationships, once a bright flame, have cooled to a glow. They still love steady and strong, but the intensity has waned. However the bond that all eight family members feel towards the youngest one is still as bright as it was the day on the battlefield all those years ago. The reasons for this are most likely numerous, but Marcus speculates that she is the only one they have watched grow. They have all taken care of her, loved and her protected her. She is their innocent, the tie that binds. Each Cullen feels a special devotion to her, and without her the abnormally large coven would have likely separated years before.

He examines her closely from a distance. Her bronze hair falls down her back in perfect spiral ringlets. Her skin is tinted pink; and he wants to feel how soft it is; could it possibly hold true warmth? He imagines the softness of her skin, running his finger down her arm, circling her breast, seeing her unusual brown eyes look at him, with desire and need. Yes, he decides, Renesemee Cullen is a prize to be won.

He sits and watches the Cullen clan, within minutes a waltz begins to play and Carlisle bends in an over exaggerated bow and leads his mate to the floor. The other men in the circle lead their respective partners to the floor. Seizing an opportunity he leaves the throne as he walks along the wall; to her. He watches her watch her family. He feels her love, her loyalty. How little she knows, if only she knew that she could lead them all. Their loyalty lies with her, no one wants to disappoint her, and no one wants to make her scream. This beautiful creature, so young at only 300 years, so odd and so innocent, has her entire world wrapped around her finger.

He leaves the shadows and walks behind her. She is the perfect height, he thinks, and her head could rest comfortably on his shoulder. She smells delicious, and her body, he can feel her heat from here. "Care to dance?" He whispers, his breath ghosts above her ear, and he pulls back to allow her to see him. Her brown eyes widen for a second, shocked perhaps, that he would ask her. She is adorable, he thinks, she stammers, unsure of herself, then nods her acceptance.

Marcus takes her hand, noting that they are gloved. Smart girl, always protecting herself, he finds himself wishing that she would trust him enough to leave her hand ungloved; how he would love the intimacy of knowing another's thoughts so well again. The music weaves around them, the move with all the characteristic grace one associates with their kind, but even more so. Her hand plays with the collar of his jacket, and his thumb traces circles on her waist. A special thrill goes through him, as he realizes that this is the first party in a very long time in which he is not merely an observer. He is dancing, on the floor, being observed. What are they thinking? What do they feel? Then just as suddenly as the realization comes it goes, Renesemme lowers her head on his shoulder and releases a small sigh, so soft it is barely audible to even his ears. His hands pull her a little tighter, against him.

Far too soon for his liking the song ends, unable to let her go he leads her to the outside gardens. With his hand on her back he can feel the slight warmth of her body, another special characteristic due to her unique birth. It is such a strange notion for him, she was always a vampire but she evolved, she changed, he had seen her when she was only three months old now look at her tonight, under the black velvet moonless sky.

The two stand in silence, their bodies still moving back and forth, almost dancing but not quite. Marcus is happy that there is no moon; it makes the stars shine brighter, for her. He then shakes his head and smiles to himself, as he wonders what such a foolish romantic idea was doing in such a jaded brain as his. He moves his other hand to reclaim her hand and the two dance in silence.

"I'm not going to join your organization." Nessie states, but she leaves her hands in their place, one on his shoulder, the other delicately cradled in his own.

"I don't recall asking." Marcus answers.

"What do you want from me?" Nessie asks, her voice breaks slightly and he hesitates.

It is impossible to know for sure what this is without the dog here. Still he doesn't want to lie to her, so he answers. "A touch. From an ungloved hand."

She holds his eyes, and he wishes he could know what she was thinking, all he can see on her face is pain and indecision. Indecision is good, he thinks, indecision means she is fighting with herself. Indecision means that she could be his. He could possess her; he could claim the greatest prize in their world. Indecision means she is halfway there.

After an eternity passes them by she whispers 'I can't," and runs off into the darkness back to the safety of her family, but a piece of her remain with him, outside feeling things she has never felt before, in his arms.

* * *

The ball is over, and Marcus once again sits on the throne, he has had countless visitors these past few hours paying tribute and giving their respects before returning to their ordinary lives. There is only one family that he is anxiously waiting to see. When Marcus first asked if the dog be allowed to come and pay his own tribute Aro had thought he had momentarily lost his mind, but allowed it nonetheless; he thought it would be amusing. However amusement is the last thing Marcus is feeling right now as he anxiously awaits the Cullen's arrival, he needs to see the two of them together. As he sees the Cullen's finally approaching Marcus watches the family's interaction carefully, especially between Jacob and Nessie. She stands always a foot away from him, his sole attention rest with her, but Marcus is pleased to discover the her eyes never leave himself, she pays no attention to Jacob.

Aro talks and with one part of his brain Marcus is listening but the other part of his brain, the more dominant, the side she now controls is focused on her. It is no obvious to him that whatever bond was once there between the child and herself has been severed a long time ago. She loves him, yes, but not _love_ love. Not true love, not the bond that one expects one to feel towards their mate. The more he watches in these few short minutes the more it becomes clear to him. Almost every Cullen feels absolutely no loyalty to Jacob. Nessie doesn't even particularly care for him. His hands constantly reach for her, but she is always a step out of reach, she jumps when he breaths too loudly, she positively growled at him at one point, yet with all this going on their eyes never left each others for more than a few seconds. He would win his prize, he was sure of it.

Having made his decision, Marcus brushes his hand against Aro's. The unexpected touch confuses him until he understands; he glances to Nessie then back at Marcus with an amused, but deadly smile on his face. "Carlisle, dear friend I am afraid there is a slightly unpleasant matter that we must handle before you leave. It has come to our attention that relationship between the shape shifter and the half-breed is no longer safe. Is that true?"

The Cullens have become well disciplined through the years, and have trained their faces to not give them away. However the momentary wave of doubt and betrayal that Marcus can sense through their emotions betray them far more than their facial expressions ever did. Bella is perhaps the most hurt, she glances at her daughter, but Nessie will look at no one other than Marcus. Even as a stunned Jacob stutters, "I don't know what you mean."

"We need this confirmed by Renesemee. Is your relationship going to endure?" Aro asks again.

"Damn you." She whispers, quietly, softly. Her eyes finally leave his. The silence last for a few seconds before Nessie is on the floor writhing in pain. The attack only lasted seconds, as Bella quickly puts up her shield. Carlisle steps forward, and engages Aro in an argument, but it is muffled, all he can do is stare at her. He knows she felt no true pain, and nothing is damaged, but his hands are tearing at the cloth of the chair to stop himself from going to her and holding her. This demon child has infected herself in his non-existent blood and he is almost out of control with a need for her.

Aro asks her the ultimate question again. "Will your relationship endure. Do you still love him?" Her silence is damning. Damning her to pain, damning the dog to death, damning Marcus to torture. If she cannot say she loves him it is clear she doesn't, still he needs her to say those words. He needs her to renounce the mutt, he needs her to choose him.

Their fates were sealed last night when he held her, when she sighed against his chest, when he almost felt her bare hand, when he almost had access to her soul. There is no doubt that he wants her. Even now as he watches her face turn full of shame, and her eyes avoid his he wants to fuck her. He wants to kiss her lips until the bruise, because hers are the only ones whose can. He wants to make blood flow to her cheeks that can still blush. And how immensely satisfying would it be to know that the only other man to do this will soon be dead? He couldn't have written a better happily ever after for the two of them.

"No." Edward whispers, and Marcus looks up. Edward has heard it all, he knows his daughters choice, the big bad blood drinker over the loyal dog. Marcus can see the rage, the disappointment everywhere around them, but what he sees most clearly is the acceptance. "She doesn't love him," Edward whispers.

"Renesmee?" Bella questions.

"I- I can't." She answers and runs out of the room. Aro, looks to Marcus and signals to the guards to leave her be before turning to the Cullen's with a cheerful smile. "Of course this means we cannot allow him to live." Each member of the 'family' looks shocked and angry but Marcus knows the truth. The Cullen's won't fight for him. Marcus knew this before they even entered the room, his girl has them all wrapped tightly around her finger. No one, besides Jacob makes a sound, as Felix escorts the dog out of the room. Heidi takes the Cullen's back to their rooms, despite their protests, to wait for Nessie. As soon as they are gone Marcus makes his way through the labyrinth of the castle. He has a good guess as to where she has gone.

Marcus feels no remorse for what he has done, and even better he knows Nessie feels no remorse either. True, she might be a little sad, any loss of life is worth mourning, but he knows she feels no regret. She cannot regret finally being free. As he approaches the double doors he takes an unnecessary breath. The vision of her, in the sunlight, natural without any fancy dress or hair is simply stunning. He walks outside, and tries to be careful and not disturb her, but it doesn't matter. As soon as he walks outside she turns around, pushes him against the castle and says "I know it was you."

He cannot deny it. He does not want to deny it. He is happy he did it, he freed her from a life of obligatory love, he gave her freedom, he gave himself an opportunity, why should he be sorry? "I am obliged to serve my brothers."

Renesmee slams him against the castle wall before tossing him across the patio. He allows her to. He sees the building moisture in her eyes, and knows that she needs him right now. She needs him to be at fault for this, for killing him. She cannot accept the fact that she wanted it. She cannot deal with the idea that Jacobs kisses were beginning to make her sick that his love was beginning to be suffocating. She could not accept the face that in her heart of hearts she wished for it, and now, not only was it done but her entire family knew. "He has done nothing wrong," she half cries, half whispers.

"And yet you no longer love him." Marcus says in the most soothing tone he can, but he is out of practice being comforting. He just wants her to not be like this, he wants her every which way except how she is now, because in this moment she is an indulgent petulant child who has always gotten exactly what she wants. She still has exactly what she wants, she wants him. She wants him. And it is her own damn fault if she doesn't want to want him, but he wants her and there is no way he is going to miss out on this because she feels bad. Fuck her and her feelings, she could have fought for Jacob but she didn't. She didn't and now she needs to lie in her bed. Preferably with him.

"Just because I no longer love him doesn't mean he needs to die." She says.

"No, but he has far outlived his lifespan." He whispers and places a hand on her back. It is light and awkward, but she doesn't shrug him off.

"That is not for you to decide," she turns on him and hits him again, he is thrown against the far garden wall. Marcus stands, and brushes off his pants, he is ready for a confrontation until he sees a small smile on her lips. He walks to her and he knows he is smiling, and it feels weird to smile. It feels unnatural as if he is forcing his face into this position, but when he tries to stop he finds he can't. "You didn't fight for him." He whispers. His hand reaches tentatively for her face, and his fingertips finally feel their truth warmth. That will always surprise him he thinks.

She pushes him and sends him flying backwards. She pushes him and she made a mistake because in that second he could see a glimpse. Her bare hand did not connect with his shirt, her hand touched his skin and he could see them, dancing under the stars, it was just a blur but it promised so much more.

He quickly runs back to her, once more and asks her, "Why didn't you fight for him?"

She screams at him to shut up. She might not have loved Jake, she might have resented him, she might have come to hate the feel of his touch, the sound of his laugh, the love he gave so freely to her that suffocated him but she did love him. He was always there, she owed him loyalty, she owed him her love and so she gave, and she gave, and she tried because he loved her and she did what she was supposed to do. She cannot deal with the fact that her silence signed his death certificate, even worse that she was relieved and overcome with gratitude to Marcus. All she can do is scream at him to stop talking but he won't. Marcus advances on her, barraging her with questions, "Why didn't you fight for him? Why didn't you say anything? Why did you run? Or better yet, why did you dance with me?"

Marcus grabs her hand and pulls her into an embrace that resembles a dance position that mocks the tender touch he treated her with last night. It is too tight, too cruel, too needy, but it is also right. His hand holds hers and suddenly her answer is not spoken with her lips but her mind. He sees himself through her eyes. He feels so ancient that he forgets he is trapped in the same body of his youth. Bright red eyes, long black hair are not menacing in her mind, instead he sees himself as quiet and charming.

His fingers slowly caress hers.

Now he sees himself as he is in this moment. His face is full of a vulnerability he didn't know he possessed. "What do you want Renesemee?" He asks, as he tilts his head down bringing his lips to hers, pausing just before they touch. She smiles, and shows him. He sees what she wants, everything she needs, and he swears to himself it will be better. He closes the space between their lips, and fulfills both their wishes.

The simple kiss is perhaps the most erotic thing Marcus ever experiences. Their left hands are still entwined and through this he not only experiences the kiss himself but he also experiences it through her eyes. Before his lips can touch hers he sees through her mind what she wants. As the kiss continues he can feel her pleasure enhancing his own. As he bites her here, and caress her there, he not only hears her sighs he feels them. His lips leave hers to worship her neck, just underneath her jaw he finds a spot that makes images of clawing hands, ripping dresses, sighs of pleasure, scratching backs, pulling hair, soft skin, needing, wanting, everything, overload both their minds.

Not enough, she thinks. Not enough, he hears. Nothing is enough, the lips, the mouths, the needing, the wanting, the years, hundreds of years for the both of them. For him it has been hundreds of years without fire, without this all consuming unrelenting need to posses. She has never felt this, never in her life has she felt this alive, this wonderful and she knows she will never regret what occurred earlier. Jake cheated her out of this, this could have been hers earlier, she deserves this, and she needs him.

Needing him, it is the last thought Marcus hears, before their connection is severed. Her hand is no longer holding his; instead her hands are pulling and tugging at his clothes. Out here in the garden? The thought leaves his mind almost as fast as it comes. It doesn't matter where. All he needs is her, all he wants is her. His prize, but so much more. Her lips are everywhere, on his shoulder, across his chest, as she removes the last pieces of his clothes he feels her hand on his bare skin. He feels her again, she is back inside his brain, craving him wanting him; reminding him that she is still fully clothed.

He remedies that quickly, his lips find hers once again and her hands grip his shoulders as he fumbles on all the damn buttons of her blouse. One by one, too slow she thinks, more she thinks, more, faster, need, want, you. You. You. Finally the blouse is off, the jeans are gone, the bra is quickly discarded, and the panties are all that is left. Nessie reaches down, until finally there are no barriers. Just bare skin on bare skin. Just him and her, red and brown, good and evil some would say, but all he can see is her. Just Nessie. This indescribable minx, everything good and pure but he can see the depths they ignore. He can see her. Just as she is, devious, angelic, wanton, evil, good, everything. She is everything. The moment they are finally together, the moment is unnamable.

Soft and long, hard and fast, too fast, too slow, not there. Yes. He knows the second she loves something, the second something feels good, he rapidly adjust to pleasure her, everything is for her. He is hers, as long as she is also his. She cannot follow him; their rhythm is disjointed, until she finally gives him the control he needs. Her body is his to pleasure. Every sigh is his reward, every moan, every little scream and breathless please and more, spurs him forward. Pleasing her, experiencing her pleasure, feeling her body lost in sensations as he reads her mind drives him forward. Faster and faster she spirals out of control, her mind looses all coherency and then she leaves him. Her mind is gone into a brilliant nothingness as pleasure consumes her, and he quickly follows. Free of her thoughts he pushes himself until he too loses control, and collapses next to her.

Her body finds his. His is still cold, despite the passion, the need, the want; he remains ice. Hers is close to fire. He turns his head ever so slightly to look at her, his hand cradles her cheek just as gently as he did the night before. She smiles, "I'm still not joining."

"I don't recall asking." He says.

"What do you want?" Nessie asks, he might be able to see every thought in her head but she has no idea what is going on beyond those ruby eyes. Whatever this is has taken them both by surprise. He knows he can't leave, he learned long ago that Aro would never let him. But she can't stay. The shame of having Jake put to death will kill her when she sees her family again, and though she is not ashamed of what just occurred she could never explain it. Even if she could she could never leave her family.

Finally Marcus speaks, "A night like this, whenever you get the urge."

"That could be quite often," Nessie smiles as she runs her nail along his arm, happy that whatever this is isn't over quite yet.

"Oh I hope so. You are free to come and go as much as you want." Marcus says as leans over her again. His lips kiss along the curve of her shoulder, slow, patient kisses that he had been able to give her before. Her hand tangles itself in his hair as he nips her soft, warm, oh so warm, skin.

"Can I come again right now?" She asks. His slow smile is answer enough.

* * *

It is dark outside again when Nessie is finally reunited with her family. Marcus sits on the throne, consumed with images of her from their interlude, and he reminds himself that he can never again touch his brother; these moments are for himself alone. Many of the guests are gone, the wolf is already disposed of, and the dark castle is back to its natural state.

After midnight the Cullen's appear before the brothers one last time to show their final respects before leaving for the States. The exchange is brief and uninteresting for almost everyone involved, except them of course. Their eyes once again hold each other's until it is time to leave. It is not until she is almost gone that she turns back for one last look.

It is in that last glance that he sees the delicate threads between them solidify, and he knows he has won her, the ultimate prize.

* * *

So do you hate her or love her? Me, personally, I can't decide.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two  
**

_He clung to her. She hadn't been in his presence for a decade, but time really doesn't have much of a meaning anymore. They both know they would eventually meet again, all that mattered was who would give in first. But, truthfully, that didn't even matter, neither would hold it against the other. It just so happens that she is the one to return to him. _

It is the dead of night when she arrives in Volterra. She walks confidently in the warm summer air, the cobblestone road makes her laugh. She gains a bounce in her step and almost floats over them as she thinks that this was before her time, this city, this ancient city was constantly changing, the pace increasing every year, humans becoming more impatient, more inclined to want and need, more desperate for that vague ideal of perfection, and yet here remains this silly outdated uncomfortable road older than even her. Probably older than her father and definitely older than her mother. She wonders if Marcus was around when the original stone was laid.

She takes her time as she walks through the quiet city. She fruitlessly looks to the sky, imagining the stars that inspired so many legends so long ago. Now the whole city is covered with a faint smog, and aggressive lights. She knows once she's inside the safety of the castle the lights will fade enough to show only the brightest lights, but she longs to see them here. Italy still is the place that activates the imagination, tales of gods, lovers scorned, fate and eternal beauty. To see the reality, how common it is and how much it has become like every other city depresses her. She was looking for a little reassurance from the city that this is a place where romance blooms.

Soon enough she is in the labyrinth that is the catacombs. Carlisle gave her very precise directions and she makes sure to mind them. Her brown eyes, and lack of an invitation make her a target for all the low level guards looking for ways to elevate themselves in the brother's eyes. When she catches the smell of the first vampire she becomes nervous, cautiously she takes a few more steps ready for a confrontation, when she hears footsteps she freezes. _It's him._

"Renesmee. " His voice is barely a whisper.

"You say my name as if you were expecting me." She hates that her voice shakes when she addresses him.

"I was. I am. " He moves forward. "I always am."

He walks until they are but a foot apart, close enough to reach out and touch but not close enough. His blood red eyes take her aback for a second. She knew of course, she remembered, she saw them in her memories, but having them look at her was slightly jarring. Brilliant beautiful rubies. Forbidden, evil, dark, everything about him contradicts itself. Savage but sophisticated, alone but constantly surrounded, beautiful and ugly.

Now that she is in his presence, that pull she constantly feels, that need to come to him, to finish whatever they started so long ago, deserts her. Now everything feels right. That constant need to move, to find something, has been satisfied and she rejoices in the moment by taking in a deep breath. "What happens now?" She asks.

She looks up at him, he who still has not moved and is just looking at her, devouring her with her eyes as if she might leave any second and she becomes giddy. This man, one third of the powerful Volturi brothers wants her, needs her. His want, his need makes her feel accomplished (wrong word) as a woman. It makes her feel valued, loved. As opposed to Jacob's need which had made her feel trapped. For a decade, she's been trying to come to terms with her role in his death. She has listened to her mother and father's questions, their confusion and even at times their resentment of her. She never really had an answer at first, just this feeling she wasn't able to convey of the world closing in on her. He loved her, he was a part of the family, everything in his life was focused on her, but she had never asked for it. She was never given a choice. He didn't even have a choice. Before he had imprinted on her he had a serious hard on for her mother, and then all of a sudden his whole life was her. Standing in front of a man she wants, that wants her, as a complete whole person on her own, she knows for certainty that the choice she made was the right one.

"That my dear, is up to you." He advances on her and she feels the once familiar flip flop in her stomach.

"I don't know," she states. She has no idea what happens next. She couldn't plan it. All that she knew was that she needed to come here. She was being driven insane slowly not being by him, not knowing what they had started a decade before. She needs answers, but how she is supposed to get these answers she has no idea.

"Oh really?" He laughs, cold but not cruel, "I think you do. I think you know exactly why you came." He is so close to her. She closes her eyes, and leans her head forward against his chest. It is all she can do.

"I just needed." His mouth is against her neck creating a delightfully frozen and hot feeling in her. "I wanted-" His hand softly, barely moves up and down her ribcage.

"What did you want? What could possibly drive a precious Cullen to the Volturi?" He asks, a mixture of laughter and pride in his voice, he knows the answer. He knows and she wants to turn the tables on him. She knows she can make him say that he needs her just as much. That he was walking through the lonely disgusting catacombs at night waiting for her, but that would take too much time. Right now she needs him more than her pride.

"You." She says and pulls his face down to hers, and when their mouths touch once again the world falls apart for a second. They seperated for a second. Their foreheads touch, their breathe mingles and Nessie feels something breaking inside her. Everything in this moment is perfect, almost achingly sweet. She wants to put it into words, but she is not talented enough to even convey how much he has meant to her even without being a physical part of her life so she shows him.

Her hand rest against her cheeks and she lets him see it all: her need, her want, the constant pull, his constant presence on her mind. Everything she has done these past ten years has been tainted by that one night. Has been defined by resisting him, the need to be near him.

He lowers his head to kiss her once again. It's you she says over and over again. Every time their lips meet, their tongues touch, every time she breathes it is him. Always him.

He pulls her closer, because it is never enough.

He spoils her.

Anything she wants she has, even if it is a passing thought or something he just thinks she wants he gives it to her. She hates it. She feels like it is too like Jacob. She likes being able to provide for herself, when she goes out and buys something for herself it just means more.

She tells him this.

"I want you to have the best. You deserve the best." He says, as his hand rests above her heart. He likes to feel it beating.

"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. I _like _taking care of myself." She says.

"You take care of me. Everyday you give me everything I want. You make me smile, make me laugh. Ness, you make me feel young again. Do you have any idea how much of an accomplishment that is? Everyday I spend in your arms. Everyday that you remain here with me is more than I ever thought I would have again after Didyme died."

She hates when he mentions his mate. She hates that she is not his one true love. If love is what you can call this. This is need, want, selfish desire, but something more has come out of it. She cares for him, she respects him. Her time in his presence has created a real admiration for him, the thoughts he has, the things he has seen, has lived through. He constantly surprises her and she cannot deny that the like she felt for him has deepened to love.

She drops the subject and he sits with her in the silence. He knows it hurts her when he brings Didyme's name up and tries to avoid it as much as possible but it is hard. Being around Ness always brings back thoughts of his wife. It is his reasoning that when one is happy one naturally thinks to the last time one was that way. He tries to make it up to her as best he can. He buys her everything she ever wants. He has bent the rules to allow her to hunt within the area, everyone now bows to her and treats her as if she were an equal to Sulpichia and Athendora. She thinks these simple tokens are too much, but he knows what being with him is costing her. Not once has she received word from her family. Not once has she made contact with them, and though he ignores it and she thinks he doesn't notice he can't help but hear them in her head every once in a while. While they are lying together and she runs her hands through his hair, he hears past conversations, he sees her memories that she dwells on.

No nothing is too much for her. He would do anything to keep her here. She tried once, a few months after she first arrived to leave him. She wanted to go back home, she said she made promises to her family but then she made the mistake of touching him and he saw how torn she was. At some point they bound themselves to each other entirely. Neither would ever be able to have another again. They had months of constant need and want and desire, fueling them to never break; they never tired, never slept, it was constant sensory overload so different than both the mating experience he has and her previous attachment with Jacob. This was indescribable, like breathing, like suffocating, like life.

Denying whatever this is is impossible.

Denying her was impossible.

She is careful not to touch him when she is hurt, he hates that. She is turned away from him watching the television he had installed just for her. She really hated it when he got that. She nearly threw it out the window claiming that he was changing too much. That he was altering his entire personality to accommodate her, that soon she would hate him. He hushed her down. Which wasn't the smartest thing in the world to do because that only made her lash out more. However he isn't a stupid man and he has learned from his mistakes. He needs to listen to her fears and take them seriously. It's a change in the right direction that he has now at least acknowledged

No, Time, thou shalt not boast that I do change:  
Thy pyramids built up with newer might  
To me are nothing novel, nothing strange;  
They are but dressings of a former sight.

He moves closer and kisses her shoulder. She pulls back slightly but when he moves forward and kisses it again she leans into his touch. He runs his nose along the curve of her neck breathing in the sweet simple, erotic smell of her. He bites the lobe of her ear and pulls down, he hears the moan she tries to suppress and is now confident of his victory. His hands ghost the side of her ribs. Delighting in every shiver, every hiss, every time she leans into his touch. He continues to whisper in her ear.

"Our dates are brief, and therefore we admire  
What thou dost foist upon us that is old,  
And rather make them born to our desire  
Than think that we before have heard them told."

She moves her hand above his, but she does not still him, they run their hands together over the lines of her body.

"Using the bard to seduce a girl, don't you think that's a little cliche?" She asks him as she turns over, her hips now straddling his.

"The ends justify the means, no? I'd say this ended the way I intended" He thrusts his hips up, but she scoots up on him so that she is now straddling his stomach and the motion leaves him unsatisfied.

"And what exactly were the means you had in mind?" She asks as she lowers her body so that her breasts brush against his chest for a moment while she whispers in his ear. Teasing him, taunting him. There are a million different Renesmee's he has seen, but playful Ness might be his favorite. Happy, mischievous and a little bit of a sadist all wrapped up in his beautiful girl. Keep her, a voice whispers in the back of his mind, the same voice he hears countless times every day. Keep her, is his constant mantra, he needs her here and if spouting ancient poetry will aid in this he will gladly make a fool of himself.

"Thy registers and thee I both defy,  
Not wondering at the present nor the past,  
For thy records and what we see doth lie,  
Made more or less by thy continual haste.""

His voice slows, and though this has become silly and lighthearted, it's original intent was to make sure she knew how much he needed her. That despite not being mated he was devoted to her in every single way a man can be to a woman. Just looking now at their hands entwined, fingers laced he can see the golden threads that have formed between them. He looks straight into those gorgeous, impossible brown eyes and repeats the last line, to make sure she knows. To make sure she can never forget or doubt, how entirely he belongs to her.

"This I do vow and this shall ever be;  
I will be true, despite thy scythe and thee"

Her mouth is on his. Fast, insistent, her eyes are closed but he saw the tears in her eyes. He heard the sharp intake of breath. "I love you Ness. Always." He whispers between kisses.

"Why are you still talking?" She asks and pulls her shirt over her head.

"I have no idea." He answers, flips her over and helps her discard the rest of her clothes.

It is when she reaches for another kiss, that she touches him that he sees every thought in her head is him. Always him.

He has succeeded in keeping her for another day.

Days seem to bleed into one another. Without sleep, without the rigid time schedule of humans she forgets slowly. As she goes deeper into their world she finds herself thinking less of her family. She indulges herself. It started off slowly. She gave in and let him buy her whatever she desired. She spent days locked in his room making love. When they did make it out of the bedroom she found herself interacting more with the guard. Heidi brought her shopping, she became accostomed to having her hair done and the daily gossip sessions. Life in Volterra was a slow seduction, the process so deceptive that she hardly noticed that she had become unfazed to the blood red eyes, to watching the members of the guard feed. Sometimes when she was bored she would even lead the tours and bring the humans to their death.

She was in the process of doing that right now. The two were leading the tour and in between directing the tourists attention to this painting they laid plans for the rest of the day. Heidi was going to go to the forest outside of the city limits with Ness while she hunted and then the two were going to go on a brief shopping spree before attending to some Volturi buisiness in Paris.

"You'renot going to kill anyone right?" Ness asks too fast for the humans to hear.

"No. Aro would send Felix or Demitri." She laughs. "I am to be a representative on behalf of the brothers for a banquet for some artist that Aro has taken a special liking too."

"Oh."

"It will be terribly dull, but we could have some fun with the humans. Make ourselves look utterly delectable." A wicked smile forms on her face and Ness can't help but match it.

Out in the tour group there is a girl not more than seven years old. She couldn't care less about the paintings or the ancient building. Everything inside the walls dulled to the park her family had visited this morning. She had swung the highest on the swings higher than the mean Tommy who was a whole two years older than her and called her names. The only thing that could possibly compare to being outside and out of the dark smelly castle were the two princesses in front of her. One of them even had violet eyes. The prettiest one had long reddish hair like her with brown eyes. She smiled so pretty. Lilly, for that was this young girls name, imagined being like her when she grew up. She saw the balls, and princes, because princes unlike boys were not icky at all, and dancing and jewelry.

Soon the tour stops in front of two very large doors. Lilly holds her breath, she thinks she is going to see the ballroom that her fantasies have been building for the past hour. The reality is much more perfect, she sees a black and white checkered floor and giant candle lit chandeliers like her fairy tale books. It seems like almost everyone is holding their collective breath as they walk into the massive room. She looks to the two princesses waiting for them to say something about this room but now that she is finally interested in the history they stop talking. She leaves her parents side, making her way forward to them, dying to ask them a question. It is while she pushes and shoves her way past the forest of legs and that she hears it, a blood curdling scream that makes her sprint to safety, to the princess with the long red hair. Once the princess is in her sight she makes the mistake of looking back, she sees men and women sinking their teeth in every ones neck. She watches the blood flow freely down their bodies, creating tiny little rivers that saturate their clothes. It looks like a page from her nightmares and if she believed in such things she would call these people vampires, but vampires aren't real right?

Finally she reaches the princess, and promptly locks her arms around and buries her head in the princess' stomach. "What is going on?" She asks, as tears cascade down her cheeks ruining the expensive material of Ness' dress. "Why are they hurting everyone?"

Ness bends down so she is eye level to this young girl, she can't help but wonder what would cause anyone in their right mind to run to her in such a situation. She touches the girls cheek, images of safety and beauty fill the little girls mind until she calms down. Ness takes her by the hand and leads her out of the room until the two are under the safety of sunlight. No one can come and bother them here. Her mind races as she tries to figure out what to do with this little girl. Her family is probably drained by now, they were tourist here for vacation meaning there is no one in the area to take her in and an orphanage just doesn't seem right.

"Whats your name, little girl?" Ness speaks in her softest voice, petting down the girls unruly curls.

"Lilly."

"Lilly was your whole family in there?"

"Yes. It was me, mama, daddy, Michael and the baby in mama's tummy." She says. "Are they okay?"

"No sweetie. I'm afraid not." Ness says as her heart breaks for this young girl. Pregnant. There were other children too, Caius favored them, something about the sweetness of the blood. Ness wishes she can vomit. Everything that her father and family had said about this place, everything they hated about it, everything that she thought was pure basic prejudice on their part came back to her. It was true. It was all true. Somehow she had become blind to all Volterra's faults, she lost sight of who she was and now here she is not sure which way is up or down with this little girl. Both orphans in the world, both of their worlds just crashed down around them. She holds Lilly as she cries, wishing there is a way to turn back time to right everything she has so thoroughly screwed up.

When Ness approached Marcus with Lilly he thought she was finally making the change he had longed for in her diet. When he realized she intended to keep her he forbid it. When she stated she was not asking his permission he was furious. He thought she would back down and see the insanity of her ways. Surely she knew what had occurred with her own mother, that no human could know of their existence without being changed or dying at some point. A vampire could not raise a human, and the Volturi were the least qualified of all. Every vampire in the castle but one lived off their blood, what would happen is she were to fall?

Ness told him she would not kill this child, that she would protect this child with everything inside of her. And like always Marcus gave in, he could not deny her after all.

Now they sit together in the darkness. Where once there was light and joy there is now a weight holding them down. He has sought every way to keep her here, he has even tried bonding with Lilly who lives in a villa outside the castle with a nanny that the Volturi support. The fights with Aro to secure the childs safety were long and tedious, but he fought until Aro became bored and soon Lilly was a fixture in their lives. The little girl celebrates her thirteenth birthday tomorrow and Ness is meticulously double checking every detail, she swears this is an important day in every females life. Funny, he thinks, he thought the thirteenth birthday was only significant to little Jewish boys, but he doesn't voice this. He also doesn't comment on the faces she makes when he goes to feed or the fact that she completely cut off her relationship with Heidi. No, he is now mute always accepting every thing she does, constantly making excuses for her and allowing her free reign as he always has.

"Do you think fireworks are too much?" Ness asks him without really waiting for his reply. He reaches for her, their two bodies barely touch before she pulls away again. He tries again and pulls harder. Her body tenses, but he does not release her. He presses kisses against her skin, nipping, biting, but she does not melt to his touch. She sighs impatiently pushing him away, he does not release her. He yanks her closer so her softness is molds against his hardness touching the magic spots he knows she cannot deny. The low guttural moan that she releases leads to a small victory dance in his head.

"Stay with me tonight." He whispers. His hands dance along her body, playing her like an instrument.

"I can't Lilly." She leans her head back, resting it against his chest.

"Just one night." Reduced to a begging man he thinks bitterly.

"One night." She says and before he can change her mind he turns her around. Their mouths meet. Not soft, but harsh. She doesn't touch his face anymore. He makes up for it by grabbing her by the hair, keeping them close, her hands pull and tug at his clothes. He pushes her against the bed. He attempts to undress her slowly, to gain control of the situation; gain control of her. He places kisses between each button, pinning her with his weight, taking his time to enjoy her but more importantly to have the opportunity to make her feel, make her remember, increase his influence over her. Her hips bucks against him and he buries a smug smile into her stomach. Slowly he kisses back up as he pushes aways the shirt he just unbuttoned until his hands push her hands above her head. Before she can understand what is happening her arms are secured above her head.

"Marcus. What?" He cuts her off with a kiss. He continues to kiss, to touch, and bite until her body is his again. He knows he can get her back, he can make her his and fix whatever broke. They started with one night, one night when her better senses warned her against him and they could start again the same way.

"Let me in Ness." He says as he begins to remove her jeans, once again, slowly and deliberately. With each hum of approval, each thrust she makes, every squirm he can feel her becoming his again. He pulls back and finishes undressing himself. Her eyes watch him. They are focused, deliberate, intense. _On him_. Not on the human girl, not on plans and shopping and charity and anything else that has occupied her mind in the past six years; she is focused on him again. She will be focused on him all night, he tells himself as he hovers above her, and when he enters her he makes sure of it.

The next morning he relinquishes his hold on her, letting her go to Lilly. He watches her as she gets dressed, her movements are fast and hurried as if what was once a pleasure has become a chore at some point. He wishes she touched his face last night just so he can have some idea as to what is going through her mind.

"Ness." She doesn't look at him. "Renesmee" He shouts and she pauses.

"What? You had your night." Her voice is laced with venom, as she plays with that annoying piece of metal.

"My night." He repeats, astonished. "Do you not see a problem with me having a night?"

She ignores him. He takes the annoying piece of metal out of her hands and smashes it.

"What are you going to do Marcus? Tie me to the bed every time I don't obey you. This is who I am. I care about people. I take care of people. I don't even know the girl you have been with all these years." He holds her, his hand grips her arms so tightly that he is half surprised they haven't been ground to dust beneath her. In those few words she just took apart everything he thought he could count on.

"Why did you choose me that first night? Why set your sights on me? Why not leave me alone. I was happy Marcus." She continues. He recalls that first night easily. The memory of it has been playing through his mind more often lately, he chose her because she was perfect, because she was so fully loved and adored by everyone, because she was a crystal doll and he wanted to shatter her. He wanted to corrupt her and own that innocence and that love. How fitting that he got everything he wished for only to realize he didn't want it, the poets would call it justice, he isn't so sure he disagrees. But there is one point in which she is clearly mistaken.

"You were not happy, dear child. You were suffocating in your golden cage. You chose me that night just as much as I chose you. I showed you the way to freedom but you took it. You cam back here to me, ten years later to continue down that road." They stand face to face, perfectly still like the statues he always had a fear of turning into. Before Ness came into his life he often wondered if some of the ancient statues were not just vampires who became bored with living, but now the point is moot.

"Do you really think I had a choice?" She asks him, looking like a child and for the first time the millennial difference in age between them finally seems like a significant trial to overcome.

"I think we always have a choice." He answers as he lets her arms go. _Choice_. Staying with him needs to in the end be her choice. He can persuade her, want her, trap her, but she needs to want it too.

"I never had a choice. I was stuck in a spiders web from that first night. You paralyzed me. I wanted you, I couldn't not want you. Because you were beautiful. Because you fought me. Because you surrendered to me. Because you loved me back, despite yourself. Because you were the first thing to make me feel in decades. I wanted you, but I never chose you. I never had a choice." She raises her hand, and he holds an unnecessary breathe. Maybe today, finally after all this time, but she stops in mid-air as if realizing what she was about to do and her hand is by her side again. "I hated you."

"I know." He says, his thumb traces the curve of her cheek."

"I still kind of hate you." She says with laughter, leaning against him.

"I know." He answers and smiles. She is saying goodbye to him, she is saying she loves him and he is letting her. He knows that she will be back again. She needs to grow, to age, to do whatever she needs to do. He can't hold her back, and he cannot leave, his fate was decided long ago. He pulls her closer. Her shoulders shake against his chest, and the two stand there in silence, not ready to let go.

Ness walks into their, correction, his room. He must be with Aro, she thinks but it is probably for the better. She did swear that she wouldn't come back for anything. Her family is more than able to provide for her and Lilly when she joins them. Yet, she can't bring herself leave without the locket. It is the only gift she asked him for during their first trip outside of the castle together. The gold is so delicate it looks almost like it is hand spun thread woven into the most beautiful design of a hazelnut plant entwined with honeysuckle. When he placed it around her neck, he asked her if she knew the old tale of Tristan and his Isolde. When she said she had not they spent the rest of the afternoon walking through the city as her told her the story of the lovers epic love. When he reached the part where Tristan fashioned the wand from the branch of the hazelnut tree and carved Isolde's name, he looked her in they eye and repeated the line she was sure even if she didn't have the advantage of vampiric memory she would never forget, "we are bound together like the honeysuckle entwined with the hazelnut. If the two plants are separated, they die, just as lovers if separated, cannot survive." It was that moment, that the lust, attachment, need and want of him finally gave way to the free falling sensation that is love.

As her fingers grasp at the lock and the locket settles against her chest she whispers into the darkness. "I don't really hate you. I wish I could but I cant. If I could hate you I would hate you for making me leave my family. For Jacob. For all those people. For making me into this. For making me love you. But I guess I really didn't have a choice either did I? I can't hate you and you and I both know this isn't goodbye. True lovers can't say goodbye right?"

The question hangs there in the darkness. She already knows the answer. She can never stay away the same way she can never truly stay; the same way she can't choose who she is. She is a Cullen. She has a family, she has people, people who love her, people who she needs. Lilly, she thinks with a smile, she can't wait to introduce her family to Lilly. She glances around the room once more before she hears her fathers parting words in her mind. "Come back to us," he told her. "Go to him, but come back to us." And so she does.

_**The End**_

* * *

**Quick A/N here. Specail thanks to Dolphin4442 and Its929 for pre-reading this for me and putting up with me when I dove back into this world. I hope you enjoy re-visiting Marcus and Nessie as much as I enjoyed writing them. **


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